The present invention is directed toward a cooling system for a vehicle and, more particularly, toward the mounting of a thermostat in a motorcycle.
Conventionally, a motorcycle comprises a chassis supported on front and rear wheels. An engine, a fuel tank and a cooling system, including a thermostat and a radiator, are mounted to the chassis. In certain types of motorcycle, such as cruisers, it is desirable to have an open chassis, i.e., a chassis that is not covered by body panels or extended fairings. In a motorcycle with an open chassis, it is desirable to provide the motorcycle with a clean and uncluttered appearance, wherein major mechanical components of the motorcycle, such as the engine, are prominently displayed, without being obstructed from view by other peripheral components of the motorcycle. Components of a motorcycle that tend to detract from such a clean and uncluttered appearance are the thermostat and other elements of the cooling system.
Conventionally, the radiator of a motorcycle is mounted in front of the engine, just behind a front fork to which the front wheel is rotatably mounted. The thermostat is connected to the radiator, the water pump and the engine by a plurality of rubber hoses that extend in different directions. In order to avoid having the thermostat and the hoses appear as an unsightly tangle, the mounting location for the thermostat is usually selected to minimize the visibility of the thermostat and the associated hoses. Often, the thermostat is covered by the fuel tank or is located proximate to the fuel tank. Examples of motorcycles having such thermostat mounting locations are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,996 to Matsuda et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,341 to Ozawa, published U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0195289A1 to Schneider et al., and published U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0066697A1 to Kodan et al.
Based on the foregoing, there exists a need in the art for a motorcycle having an improved thermostat mounting, wherein the thermostat is concealed, but is not located in a cramped and difficult to access location. The present invention is directed to such a motorcycle.